Review by InfamousButcher, Photos by SheWolf

Jersey Metal legends, OVERKILL are entering the studio on Monday to begin tracking their next record due out sometime next year. The new material will be tracked at Gear Recording and mixed by Greg Reely, who also mixed “The Electric Age.”

OVERKILL will be appearing on “THE BATTLE OF SAN BERNARDINO” on September 13th supporting IRON MAIDEN, MEGADETH, TESTEMENT & ANTTRHAX. Tickets are on sale and can be purchased here.

BOBBY “BLITZ” ELLSWORTH

INTERVIEW AND LIVE PICTURES BY MARKO SYRJALA

Overkill is a classic thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. The band was one of the early thrash metal bands in U.S., along with such names as Anthrax, Exodus and mighty Metallica, who helped to create the thrash metal scene in the early 80’s. To date, Overkill has released 16 studio albums and sold more than 25 million worldwide. During their long journey, Overkill has gone through many line-up changes. The remaining original members, Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth and D.D. Verni, have successfully guided the band through both good and difficult times and the band is here to stay. In April 2013, Overkill arrived to Finland to do a five-concert mini-tour. I had the chance to sit down with Bobby in Helsinki and we discussed various topics including the recent “Dark Roots of Earth” tour, producing, history, personal life, and the list goes on….

Returning to North America in support of their thirteenth studio album Phantom Antichrist, German thrash overlords KREATOR will be performing in New York City at Stage 48 with hometown thrashers Overkill on November 23rd & 24th.

KREATOR frontman/guitarist Mille Petrozza shares the following about the scheduled sonic devastation:

“We are more than excited to play with the strongest thrash metal band that ever came out of New York – the mighty Overkill! They’ve been a major influence on KREATOR and they are killer guys. Our friends from Warbringer will also join us. It does not get more brutal than this! ”

Pre-sale tickets are available at EnterTheVault.com. There will be a special limited number of tickets that will grant admission to BOTH shows. VIP tickets include a pre-show Meet & Greet with both KREATOR and Overkill, plus a special poster created to commemorate the event.

Overkill, 3 Inches of Blood & Purified In Blood

@ O2 Islington Academy

7th October 2012

Review by Joffie Lovett

It’s a warm Sunday evening in Islington and a mass of Metal fans are gathered at the entrance to the O2 Academy. Each person seems to have a smile on their face, whether young or old as whether you’re a long-time fan of Overkill or whether you’re seeing them for the first time, you know that this is a band that will deliver nothing short of an ass-kicker of a show and more!

Since the early 80’s, Overkill has been ripping stages and releasing albums consecutively, and to this day, they continue to put on energetic and exciting live shows. They have conquered many fans with their style of thrash metal, and they are considered by many as one of the greatest thrash bands that ever existed; I have to agree completely. How can you not? With classic releases like "Feel the fire" and "Taking Over", they helped pave the roadway for a genre with a scene that has benefit greatly by these records. Sure, the scene has increased significantly since the mid-2000’s, but unlike these "Junior Thrashers", Overkill never forgot, and never forgave.

Tuska Open Air 2012

Suvilahti, Helsinki, Finland

June 27-29, 2012

The Tuska Open Air Festival is definitely a real metal festival institution amongst all other metal festivals in Europe. This current area, Sivulahti, almost located in the heart of Helsinki, only a few kilometers away from the downtown, is a new home for Tuska for the second time. Suvilahti is more like an industrial environment with the burning and hot asphalt underfoot. When raining, at least the area won’t turn to one hell of a big mud fest.

Another thing forcing Tuska to make a change was the date. Originally the festival was supposed to be at the beginning of July, but another big more international based festival took over the date and Tuska was postponed until three weeks later. Well at least some people got pissed off at the changed date. Obviously a few band negotiations needed to start all over. Hopefully Tuska will return back to the original date.

The line-up looked once again – amazing. Megadeth and Ministry and of course the Swedish war trad metallers were headliners, but Lamb Of God had to pull out of Tuska because of the arrest of the frontman in Republic Czechia and was replaced by Finntroll and Animals As Leaders had to cancel as the band managed to miss the flight. Of course a few cult metal bands like Saint Vitus, A.R.G. could be witnessed. The festival was an utter success although the event wasn’t sold out. All in all 26,000 people visited Tuska during three days.

Metal-Rules.com was present to check out a lot of bands and enjoy the sun and rain.

OVERKILL drummer Ron Lipnicki performed with guitarist/vocalist Vinnie Camarillo and bassist Murry of Kansas City thrashers MEATSHANK, and members of local acts VANLADE and HELLEVATE for a rendition of METALLICA’s “Seek and Destroy” at the Riot Room in Kansas City on April 26th. The performance came during an after-party gig following OVERKILL’s appearance at Kansas City’s Beaumont Club with GOD FORBID, DIAMOND PLATE, SUIDAKRA and local openers MARASMUS. Video footage can be viewed here.

Meatshank, Vanlade, Hellevate, and OVERKILL!!!!!!!!

Lipnicki was in the audience watching the jam session and when “Seek and Destroy” began he was heard to shout “Oh, I know that song!” then jumped unto the stage and took the reins from MEATSHANK drummer Shane Cook. It was an unforgettable moment that will forever live in the memories of those involved.

MEATSHANK’s Scavengers album is streaming in its entirety at meatshank.stereokiller.com. Please get in touch for digital review/radio copies and/or to set up an interview.

OVERKILL has revealed part one of a two part series giving fans a behind the scenes look into their brand new video for “Electric Rattlesnake.” Show in legendary Asbury Park, NJ. Click HERE to view the video.

The band kicked off the “ELECTRIC AGE TOUR” this weekend as well. Supporting will be GOD FORBID, DIAMOND PLATE and SUDIKARA. Dates will stretch coast to coast and run through April and May, click HERE for up to date ticket information.

“Young bands coming out today that are emulating the ’80s thrash scene should certainly be taking notes from the masters of the genre like Overkill on what it takes to deliver some of the best work of your career over 30 years into it.” – Popblerd.com

“Sixteen albums in, these dudes are not only still fired up; they’re practicing their craft at the peak of their skills, with no signs of slowing down.” – Decibel

The new OVERKILL record “The Electric Age”debuted on the BILLBOARD TOP 200 Chart at #73 with approximately 6,700 units sold. To compare, the band’s last release “Ironbound” sold roughly 4,500 copies first week and debuted at #192 making “The Electric Age” the highest charting first week album since their 1994 record “W.F.O.”

(New York, NY) – OVERKILL have debuted a brand new video for their hit single “Electric Rattlesnake” today. Click HERE or the image above to view. Directed by veteran Kevin J. Custer, the video is the first we’ve seen since the band released the “Bring Me The Night” video in 2010.

“Damn, this one BITES hard! Kevin Custer did it again! So plug us in yeah, set us free, this is a thrashing vid the way it’s supposed to be! Here we go kids ELECTRIC RATTLESNAKE!“ says front man Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth.

The new OVERKILL record “The Electric Age” has debuted on the BILLBOARD TOP 200 Chart at #73 with approximately 6,700 units sold. To compare, the band’s last release “Ironbound” sold roughly 4,500 copies first week and debuted at #192 making “The Electric Age” the highest charting first week album since their 1994 record “W.F.O.”

“Young bands coming out today that are emulating the ’80s thrash scene should certainly be taking notes from the masters of the genre like Overkill on what it takes to deliver some of the best work of your career over 30 years into it.” – Popblerd.com

“Sixteen albums in, these dudes are not only still fired up; they’re practicing their craft at the peak of their skills, with no signs of slowing down.” – Decibel

In support, the band will head out on the “ELECTRIC AGE TOUR.” Supporting will be GOD FORBID, DIAMOND PLATE and SUDIKARA. Dates will stretch coast to coast and run through April and May, click HERE for up to date ticket information.

US thrash metallers Overkill have made available online the new song “Electric Rattlesnake” from the upcoming album “The Electric Age”, due to be released on March 27th via eOne Music and March 30th in Europe via Nuclear Blast Records. The Electric Age was recorded and mixed at Gain Studios in New Jersey, owned and operated by bassist D.D. Verni. This will be the band’s follow-up to 2010’s Ironbound.

Overkill - "The Electric Age"

“The Electric Age” tracklist:

01. Come And Get It
02. Electric Rattlesnake
03. Wish You Were Dead
04. Drop The Hammer
05. Save Yourself
06. Black Daze
07. 21st Century Man
08. Old Wounds, New Scars
09. All Over But The Shouting
10. Good Night

(NEW YORK, NY) – Legendary thrash band, OVERKILL have announced new details around their upcoming ELECTRIC AGE TOUR. Supporting will be GOD FORBID, DIAMOND PLATE and SUDIKARA. Dates will stretch coast to coast and run through April and May, click HERE for up to date ticket information.

OVERKILL will released their 16th full length studio album entitled “The Electric Age” on March 27, 2012. The record will be released in Europe on Nuclear Blast Records on March 30, 2012.

The band recently revealed a behind the scenes video that outlines the recording process they used for their upcoming new record “The Electric Age.” Recorded at GEAR Studios, owned and operated by bassist D.D. Verni, the video outlines specific gear and techniques used and how it had shaped the bands raw unfiltered sound over the last few releases. View the video HERE.

OVERKILL have revealed a behind the scenes video that outlines the recording process they used for their upcoming new record “The Electric Age.”

Recorded at GEAR Studios, owned and operated by bassist D.D. Verni, the video outlines specific gear and techniques used and how it had shaped the bands raw unfiltered sound over the last few releases. View the video HERE or below:

Overkill - "The Electric Age"

OVERKILL will release “The Electric Age” due out on eOne Music March 27, 2012.